The Week in Animal News: Rare Birds Fly Again, "Cows Do Not Belong in Fields," and More (Slideshow)

Photo via IFAWAnimal smugglers will go to outrageous lengths to get their illegal bounty past officials -- so it's nice to hear about animals that are able to return to the wild after their ordeal, like eight gyrfalcons who were recently released back to the wild after being seized by customs officials in Moscow.

Read on for more heartwarming animal news, including nine species that have returned from the brink of extinction and never-before-seen glimpses of incredibly rare elephants and polar bears.

The Week in Animal News: Rare Birds Fly Again, "Cows Do Not Belong in Fields," and More (Slideshow)

Photo via IFAW
Animal smugglers will go to outrageous lengths to get their illegal bounty past officials -- so it's nice to hear about animals that are able to return to the wild after their ordeal, like eight gyrfalcons who were recently released back